Prior to DUII arrest, Ducks wide receiver had license suspended for missing court dates

At the time of his arrest on suspicion of DUII, University of Oregon football player Evan Stewart’s driver’s license had been suspended for missing multiple traffic violation court dates, according to Oregon DMV records.

Stewart, a 23-year-old wide receiver, leads the team in receptions but missed Saturday night’s home game due to injury. He is listed as out for Saturday’s game at Illinois, according to the team’s availability report released Wednesday.

Springfield police arrested Stewart after a 5 a.m. traffic stop Sunday.

Oregon DMV records show Stewart’s license suspended as of March 31 because he failed to appear in Coburg Municipal Court where he had been charged with a speeding violation.

When a driver has their license suspended, they temporarily lose their driving privileges and cannot legally operate a motor vehicle on a roadway.

The Oregon DMV sends a formal written notice by mail when a person’s driving privileges are suspended, canceled or revoked, said Chris Crabb, a public information officer for the agency.

Stewart’s driving record lists a conviction in Coburg court for a Nov. 26, 2025, speeding violation in which he drove 83 mph where the limit is 65 mph. The address for the violation is not listed.

After a missed appearance, a person has 14 days to reschedule or enter a plea, according to the Coburg Municipal Court website. 

After that, a fine is doubled and a guilty judgment is entered. Also, “a failure to appear suspension request will be sent to the DMV,” the court’s website states.

A case can then go to collections. The balance must be paid to the debt collection agency to have a driving suspension lifted, according to the court’s website.

In addition, according to the driving record, Stewart also failed to appear in Eugene Municipal Court where had been charged with having an illegal window tint. The violation date listed is Dec. 24, 2025.

For the Eugene case, Stewart’s driving record lists a second license suspension starting April 30.

Eugene Municipal Court records list Stewart’s case as having gone to “collections,” an apparent reference to an unpaid fee. Stewart is also listed as having a second citation, for failure to carry vehicle registration, also in “collections.”

After Sunday’s arrest, Stewart now faces a misdemeanor DUII charge as well as a citation for driving while suspended, both in Springfield Municipal Court. Driving while suspended is considered a traffic violation.

Springfield police early Sunday stopped Stewart on Highway 126 near Mohawk Boulevard, according to a news release. A Springfield officer suspected driver impairment and began a DUII investigation, police have said.

UO had no knowledge of Stewart’s license being suspended, an athletics department spokesperson said Wednesday, declining further comment.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning addressed Stewart’s arrest on Monday. 

“There was an incident this weekend that didn’t match our standard here in our program,” Lanning said. “There will be an appropriate action taken. Still gathering some details with what that situation looks like. But that would be handled internally. I’m not (going to) respond to any other questions about that. We’re (going to) handle that with our guys.

“There’s an expectation of what you have to … how you have to act, and how you need to perform in our program. Kind of overshadows the success that we had on Saturday, which is disappointing, but that will be handled by us internally. I’m not going to speak on it publicly.”

Stewart was booked Sunday into Springfield Municipal Jail, police said, but online records show he was released the same day.

Oregon running backs coach Ra’shaad Darnell Samples, 31, was charged in April with DUII and reckless driving after he allegedly backed his truck into a parked car in downtown Eugene. Samples’ next court date is scheduled for Oct. 27.

Stewart, a fifth-year senior, is in his third year at UO and leads the Ducks with 37 receptions for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Stewart is from Memphis, Tennessee, and began his college career at Texas A&M, before transferring to Oregon in 2024.

Correspondent Tyson Alger contributed to this report.